The biennial budget will dominate discussion in the 2020 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, but local legislators have their own priorities as well.
State Senator Whitney Westerfield of Christian County championed Marsy’s Law in 2019 and saw the constitutional amendment creating a crime victim’s bill of rights receive resounding approval on the ballot, only for the Kentucky Supreme Court to overturn it due to wording of the ballot question.
He says he’ll try again this year and there will be additional provisions that ensure victims are notified when an offender receives a pardon or commutation from the governor.
Electric cooperatives from other states in the region send crews to Kentucky after ice storms and severe weather to help restore power as quickly as possible and Representative Myron Dossett of Pembroke will file a bill that would exempt those linemen from having to file income taxes in Kentucky for a week or two of work.
Representative Walker Thomas of Hopkinsville has tried the last couple of years to get military pensions exempted from the state income tax and says he’ll try again in 2020.
You can hear local lawmakers discuss these issues and more on our Legislative Preview Show Sunday morning at 9 on Lite Rock 98.7 and online at lite987whop.com.